


rhythm like this never ends

by pretense



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-08
Updated: 2015-06-08
Packaged: 2018-04-03 11:48:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4099843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pretense/pseuds/pretense
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I do not believe myself to be fit for the role,” Midorima raises his concern, brows set to a severe furrow. His classmates look at each other and start whispering, he hears questions of congeniality and something about a talent portion. He meets Takao’s teasing look, silver eyes crinkled with amusement, and the answer comes to him. “Why don’t -you- represent the class, Takao?” he posits. “Since you’re so enthusiastic about this pageant.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	rhythm like this never ends

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt fill for [MidoTaka Week](http://midotakaweek.tumblr.com) \- Day 3: Music

It’s the off-season but training is by no means lax. Yuya Miyaji is just as driven as his brother before him so it’s no surprise to anyone that he’s also very strict. Still, practice games with Senshinkan and Seiho are few and far-inbetween since the new lineup is focusing on developing their core strength and revised tactics. Given this scenario, the gym empties quickly at the end of each day.

_Whoosh._

A ball shoots right through the hoop. The sixtieth one in a row. Midorima lowers his shooting arm, wiping at the sweat accumulating on his upper lip using his t-shirt’s collar. Looking around the gym, Midorima feels the fatigue sink in.

Even Takao is gone.

He shakes his head to clear the negativity that’s beginning to sprout at the corners of his mind. Picking another basketball out of the ball cage, he reminds himself that there is a good reason for Takao's absence. Midorima goes into shooting form, eyes on the hoop, and lets go.

Takao is in a pageant.

* * *

School festivals are a frivolous thing in Midorima’s opinion, but if it is tradition then he will do his best to uphold it. That said, he has no particular skill that could contribute much to the occasion - not arts and crafts certainly , and he’d rather die than participate in the neko-butler cafe that some had suggested. Their class was still taking suggestions on the best type of booth to operate during the festival when an announcement came. **  
**

For the first time ever, an inter-year competition would be held and every class is enjoined to send in two representatives - male and female. And it’s not just any competition, it’s a school-wide search for Mr. and Ms. Shutoku Idol.

As soon as the announcement was made, the classroom became abuzz with chatter.

“Class president!!”

“Yes, Takao?”

“I volunteer Shin-chan!”

“What?” Midorima turns in his seat so quick, indignance plastered all over his face. Takao grins at him.

“Midorima-kun?” Orihara, the class president, repeats.

“He’s pretty popular, right?” Takao says, ignoring the holes being burned into the side of his head. “We’re sure to get a lot of votes if he represents the class~”

“Hmm.” The class officers look at each other, debating.

“I do not believe myself to be fit for the role,” Midorima raises his concern, brows set to a severe furrow. His classmates look at each other and start whispering, he hears questions of congeniality and something about a talent portion. He meets Takao’s teasing look, silver eyes crinkled with amusement, and the answer comes to him. “Why don’t _you_ represent the class, Takao?” he posits. “Since you’re so enthusiastic about this pageant.”

“Eh?” All eyes are on the Hawk Eye now but Takao’s grin didn’t twitch one bit.

The murmurs from the class grow excited, even the president looks to be in agreement by the way she’s nodding at her fellow class officers.

“You should do it, Takao,” one of their classmates shouted and many others raised their support.

Takao beams wider at the attention but then his gaze settles back on Midorima. “Do I have Shin-chan’s support?”

Surprised, Midorima gives a little huff. “If you really need it, then yes.”

“Yahoo~” Takao makes a giddy nod. “I’ll do my best~”

Amidst the applause, Orihara calls for order. “So who wants to be our female representative?”

* * *

Unsurprisingly, Takao makes it past the preliminaries which was held through the Student Council’s social media page. Photos of all the contenders were posted together with a brief introduction and the Male and Female contestants who garnered the most traffic (per year-level) would be participating in the finals held on the last day of the weeklong festival.

The basketball club organized a garage sale with the other varsity clubs. Midorima did not find it funny when Takao suggested that he let go of his old lucky items.

The gym door opens with a creak, distracting Midorima from his training.

“I thought you’d be here~” comes the genial tone that Midorima would never admit to missing.

Lowering his arm and the ball he’d been ready to shoot moments before, Midorima faces the shorter teen. “And I thought you had a dress rehearsal.”

“We wrapped up early,” Takao explains, stepping onto the polished floor. “I’m glad I caught you, though. It would break my heart if you went home without me~”

“Hmph.” Midorima hides a grin. “Someone has to pull that rickshaw.”

“So mean~” Takao jests, picking up the scattered basketballs. “Hey, Shin-chan…”

“What is it?”

“You’ll come cheer for me at the contest tomorrow, ne?”

Midorima looks up from the ball cage, Takao is right across him, looking hopeful.

“I’m going to need all the luck I can get to win,” Takao adds, wearing a sincere smile.

‘You need more than luck if you truly want to win,’is the automatic reply his mind comes up with but Midorima swallows it down. Takao is already determined and hardworking without him having to point it out. He’d seen proof of it many times on court so it shouldn’t be much different when Takao takes the stage.

“I’ll be there.”

* * *

Their entire class is there to support Takao since their female candidate didn’t make the cut. Everyone is required to wear a bright blue bandana to show their support and it clashes horribly with Midorima’s hair. After intermissions from the dance clubs and a brief introduction of the judges and their criteria the candidates are finally revealed. They do a little parade while the auditorium cheers on their bets.

Now Midorima had watched but a few competitions of this kind - usually when his younger sister demand they spend ‘quality time’ together in front of the TV - and being in the audience right then reminded him why he never liked it. It’s too loud, too crowded, too bright. But he promised Takao he’d be here and Midorima is a man who never goes back on his word.

Each contestant introduces themselves and when it gets to Takao’s turn their whole section erupts in shouting and applause.

“Haha, thank you!” Takao waves at his classmates. He carries himself easily under the spotlight, dressed impeccably with his engaging smile to top it all off. “Takao Kazunari. Second year, Class A. You know me best as the starting Point Guard for our varsity basketball team.”

“That they do,” the emcee agrees. “You got the highest number of Likes during the elimination round, does that make you confident for a win tonight?”

“Well I didn’t come all the way here to lose,” Takao grins. Coming from anyone else it would sound cocky but he succeeds in making the audience swoon.

* * *

Another intermission, this time for their cultural club, then it’s time for the talent portion. With only six people being expected to perform, they were given all the time they needed. There were the usual song and dance numbers, the third years’ female representative demonstrated her martial arts skills that sent planks of wood and fruit pulp into the audience.

When Takao’s turn comes, the stage opens up to two chairs at the center. Sitting on one of them is Takao, on the other is one of their classmates with a guitar in his hands.

 _He’s going to sing_ , Midorima notes with little surprise. Takao liked to frequent Karaoke bars, especially with Miyaji and Ootsubo who’d make it a contest who can score the highest on their favorite idol’s song. The acoustic guitar is what throws him off. Takao preferred upbeat sounds, pop music and whatever it is that’s trending on the airwaves.

As his stage partner adjusts his strings, Takao puts a finger to his lips to hush the audience. As the auditorium lights are dimmed, his silvery gaze swings to his most valiant supporters.

For a split second, Midorima gets the impression that Takao is staring right at him but then Takao turns to his guitarist, nods once, and the opening notes resound.

Microphone to his lips, Takao belts out in what might be the softest voice Midorima has ever heard him utter -

[Honnou](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbA9p0Fq81U) teki naru situation  
Tatakau imi wo sagasu kono imitation  
_Kurayami kara koboreru light_  
_Tora wareta yourself kowase_

Watching the teen closely, Midorima revels in this quiet side of Takao that is revealed to him. Every syllable wrapped in sincerity, every pause for breath solidifying his resolve… For what, Midorima would not presume to understand.

Tobitachi taku narutte?  
Kataru rizumu oboeten darou  
_Mune ni hibiku akirame no kako e_

Silvery eyes are bright with conviction, unblinded by the slow-moving overhead lights that sweep across the platform. The guitar strums go up a notch but he delivers his words almost… delicately.

 _Zanzou demo iin da  
_ _Future aspect_

Long after the last strum fades from the stereo, after the curtains fall closed, Midorima can still feel that warm voice reverberating in his chest, his heart, his soul.

* * *

When Takao comes up to him later, much later after the confetti canons are popped and a dimestore crown rests atop styled black hair, Midorima would look at him with different eyes. Of course Takao would catch onto it within a heartbeat, his smile outshining the crude glitters that spell out “Mr. Shutoku Idol” on the sash draped across his chest.

Midorima will tell him to take the trinkets off as he’d look ridiculous pedaling through Tokyo in such a getup.

Takao will counter with how he looks ridiculous pedaling through Tokyo, period.

“I knew you would win,” Midorima states, matter-of-fact as he takes his seat on Takao’s bike.

Knowing better than to question his fickle Light, Takao settles in the rearcart. “And how were you so sure, Shin-chan?”

“Scorpio’s lucky item for today is a crown.”


End file.
